Sudden fear of the crate....

[donnieo]

Hi all;

A very strange development in the last few days. Jinxsie has never been really excited about her crate, but I've always been able to get her in there with a carrot or something like that. During thunderstorms she will normally mill about for a few seconds then go to her crate on her own. Lately, however, she has been very resistant to going into her crate. Actually, I haven't been able to get her in at all. She'll hop on top of it no problem and will take food while she's on it, but unless I was to physically force her in there she won't go, which I haven't wanted to do.

I've read about the crate exercise where you put the dog on a box and the crate on another box and use a high collar to get her to jump into the crate. Has anyone used this? How high should the boxes be?

Also, can anyone give me an idea as to why this is happening?

[rudy]

I've gone through those stages with Lou, too.

My first step is to remove the bedding and wash it. Keen noses may smell something on the bedding that they unintentionally left behind...

I've done the box to crate work too. Before you do that, you could try just holding her leash tightly up to the top of the inside of the crate. You aren't dragging her in (or bribing) but making her choice a little easier: she can stay uncomfortable outside the crate, or more comfortable inside it.

Another trick: when Lou is resistant to the crate or very noisy in it, I do box work with the crate and make him struggle really hard to get on top of it. He tries to climb on it while I'm pulling him slightly backwards off it. It's a real workout for him. If he's still whining while on the box, I try to pull him off it as he works hard to stay on. Sometimes we have to do this 3-4 times to get him settled.

And SOMETIMES if he is ALL worked up (we've had contractors in the house here lately...) in the crate, I've got to approach the crate with a tug toy in hand because when I open the door a furball with teeth rages out It's either the toy or my shoe... He tugs like a wild man. He wins. He struggles to get ON the crate and then I put him back in it. He goes nutso in the crate... I approach with tug toy, repeat repeat repeat...until he is out of breath and I'm sweating. Of course, these training moments never happen when you plan for them and they move a LOT of energy (mine and his) and require a massive degree of patience... Fortunately dogs deal better with our upfront anger than swallowed frustration.

And honestly, sometimes I just can't take it.... the barking/whining in crate. So I either move him or me to another part of the house where I can't hear him.

[Sang]

That's interesting Donnie. Could be some old memories/fears coming to the surface now that she's opening up. Have there been any new developments in the past week or 2?

I've done the high collar exercise. Crate should be high enough off the ground that she has to jump up into it. But make sure you get the energy moving first before you do it, otherwise she may shut down instead of fight to get in. And you want the fight.